Police ask for help locating witnesses to officer shooting

PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY — Police are asking for the public’s assistance to locate two people they believe may have witnessed the shooting of a Santa Monica Police officer early Tuesday morning.

The shooting occurred May 18 at about 1:40 a.m. in the 1900 block of Lincoln Blvd. when officers stopped a suspected drunk driver. A passenger in the pulled-over vehicle allegedly opened fire on the officer, striking him in the abdomen.

The Santa Monica Police Department on Friday released pictures of two potential witnesses, a male and a female, believed to have been in the vicinity around the time of the shooting. The pictures were captured by video cameras located on a police department vehicle that was at the scene.

SMPD Sgt. Jay Trisler said neither of the individuals is believed to have been involved with the shooting.

The officer who was shot has been released from UCLA Medical Center, Trisler said. He has not been identified.

The suspect in the shooting, Dante Glenn Leverette, 32, of Los Angeles, was shot by police about 5:10 a.m. Tuesday. He is hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds and is expected to live, Trisler said.

To view the pictures of the potential witnesses, go to smdp.com.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Michael Bambrick at (310) 458-8932 or Sergeant Ira Rutan at (310) 458-8959.